


Let it rest, all you can't change. Let it rest and be done.

by Masterofkarate



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Trauma, charlie had a hard day :(, dennis being manipulative (but it works out well), mac is nurturing and gentle and he loves charlie, mac's the dayman, nightman shit, suicide (mention), uncle jack tw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-23 03:03:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16610651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Masterofkarate/pseuds/Masterofkarate
Summary: Charlie's been in his Bad Room all day and the gang gets a bit worried. Mac goes to check on him and comforts his best friend.---------"Know it will never be easy or simpleKnow I will dig in my claws when you straySo let us rest here like we used toIn a line of late afternoon sunLet it rest, all you can't changeLet it rest and be done"- Virtue At Rest, John K. Samson





	Let it rest, all you can't change. Let it rest and be done.

“He's officially spent half a day up there,” Dennis said as he glanced down at his watch.

“He'll be fine, kid's got a lot of feelings in that little body,” Frank said, waving his hand nonchalantly.

“What if he's hurt?” Mac interjected, his eyes big and sad.

“He's more indestructible than that junkyard cat Dennis had!” Frank argued.

“Charlie's a weak little man, he's not indestructible,” Dennis said with a cold laugh that nobody else echoed.

“Maybe we should send somebody to check on him,” Dee spoke up.

“When the hell did you get here?” Mac shouted.

“I've been here the whole goddamn time!” Dee shouted back.

“I don't know if that's true.” Dennis hummed and tapped his chin before saying, “I think somebody should check on him.”

“Thank you!” Dee sighed.

“For what?”

“For acknowledging my idea!”

“Your idea, no that was my idea. When did you even get here?”

“That was my idea, you goddamn asshole!”

“No, Dee, it was definitely Dennis’ idea,” Mac interjected.

“Let's not argue like assholes all day, Dennis go check on Charlie!” Frank interrupted.

“Me? No! I'm not gonna be the one to find his dead body!” Dennis shouted.

“Well I'm not goin’ up there! He tried to kill me last time I was up there!” Frank exclaimed.

“Mac, you should go,” Dennis said.

“Me? Why me?” 

“Charlie likes you the best, plus if he's in crazy mode, who other than the strongest guy at Paddy's to subdue him?” Dennis answered, voice slow and deep.

After a few minutes of flattery and fear-mongering, Mac was crawling through the vents. He knew how to get to Charlie's Bad Room by heart. When they first bought the bar, Mac found it with Charlie, gave Charlie the idea to use it when his feelings were too much to handle.

When Mac got closer to the room, he started to slow down. It was very quiet, which made him nervous. What if Charlie had accidentally hurt himself? Or not so accidentally? Mac remembered how ready Charlie was to make a suicide pact with Mac when they faked their own deaths. He never expected Charlie to actually do something, but Charlie was good at proving people wrong.

He slowly crawled towards the open room, which was covered in broken glass. He stepped out of the vent, ducking his head as he walked under the low ceiling. He stepped carefully, trying to avoid the big pieces of glass, but he still felt small shards crunching beneath his feet. He immediately spotted Charlie.

Charlie was laying down in a corner of the room. He had one arm under his head, acting as a pillow, and the other hand was covering his other ear, slung over his head. Charlie's knees were pulled up towards his chest.

Mac approached slowly, looking carefully. Charlie was still. Very still. It wasn't until Mac knelt down in front of Charlie that he saw that Charlie was breathing. Mac looked up towards the ceiling, thanking God in his head.

At this closer angle, he saw that Charlie's eyes were puffy, his cheeks and nose were still rosy. It was obvious that Charlie had been crying.

Mac reached out slowly and stroked Charlie's cheek with his index finger. Charlie's face twitched slightly. Mac kept stroking Charlie's cheek.

“Char, wake up, buddy,” Mac whispered.

Charlie let out a whimper and opened his eyes.

“Hey, bud, you okay?” Mac whispered.

Charlie groaned and with the hand he slung over his head, he pushed Mac's hand away from his face. 

“Charlie, it's me,” Mac whispered, feeling hurt when Charlie pushed him away. He knew he shouldn’t take it personally, though. He knew that sometimes when Charlie was upset, he didn’t like to be touched. Mac took note of Charlie rejecting his touch, he would have to be careful not to touch him in any way unless he was comfortable with it.

Charlie groaned and turned to his other side, facing the wall. He mumbled something that Mac couldn't here.

“Huh?” Mac asked quietly, wanting so badly to reach out and rub Charlie's back.

“Go 'way. Wanna be alone,” Charlie repeated a little too loudly this time. His voice was hoarse.

“You've been here for twelve hours, Charlie. We got worried. I got worried,” Mac answered. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I'm fine,” Charlie responded with that slightly-too-loud voice again.

“Charlie, you're sleeping on broken glass. You spent hours up here, breaking bottles crying and God knows what else. You're obviously not fine.” When Charlie didn't respond Mac sighed and then asked, “Can you at least stand up so I can make sure you're not laying on any glass now?”

“I'm fine,” Charlie huffed.

“Please, dude?”

Charlie let out a loud groan. He slowly rolled to his stomach, using his hands to push himself up slowly. When he was standing, he crossed his arms over his chest and stood against the corner, looking down at his feet.

Still crouched, Mac used his bare hand to push any shards of glass he could see. There weren’t too many big pieces, so he focused on getting the tiny, glittering specs off the area Charlie had been laying in.

“Can you brush yourself off, make sure there's none stuck to you?”

Charlie didn't answer audibly, but he brushed off his clothes with his hands. Mac swept the little pieces of glass away with his hand. His hand stung a bit, but he didn't bleed so it was fine.

“You can lay back down,” Mac told him, looking up at Charlie.

“Cool, go away,” Charlie answered as he lowered himself down onto the ground.

“Can I stay, Charlie, please?” Mac asked. He couldn't leave Charlie alone like this. It's just not right to leave your best friend alone in such a state.

“I just want to be alone.” Charlie shifted onto his side, facing away from Mac.

“And I just want to help,” Mac answered.

Charlie let out a choked sound. Maybe a cough. Mac wasn't sure, exactly.

“So I can stay?” Mac asked.

“I don't care.”

“Then I’m staying right here,” Mac decided. “Can I lay with you?”

“Do whatever you want, dude.”

Mac slid onto the ground, laying next to Charlie. There bodies weren’t touching. Mac was a few inches away from Charlie. Mac cleared his throat.

“Can I put my arm around you?” Mac asked softly.

“Don’t,” Charlie whispered.

“Got it,” Mac answered. He did his best to sound as if it didn’t hurt him. He didn’t want Charlie to feel guilty or pressured.

They lay just a few inches apart. Charlie’s breath was ragged and quick. Mac could hear him sniffle occasionally. Mac wanted to hold Charlie so bad, but he resisted. Instead, he occasionally whispered comforting words to Charlie.  _ You’re okay. I’m here, dude.  _

Eventually, Charlie turned around. Their faces inches apart. Charlie was still crying. It wasn’t the ugly cry that scrunches up your whole face, it a kind of cry that makes you unsure if you’re even crying, tears just flow occasionally.

“What’s going on, dude?” Mac asked quietly, looking into Charlie’s eyes. “You came up here almost as soon as you came in today.”

“Last night was bad,” Charlie whispered, looking back at Mac.

“How come?”

“Nightman came.”

“In a nightmare?” Mac knew exactly what the content of these nightmares were. He wouldn’t say it outloud, though. Not if Charlie wouldn’t.

“Yeah, he was there. I couldn’t the feeling off of me all morning. I thought if I came up here, I wouldn’t be able to feel him anymore.”

“It didn’t work?” 

“Not yet.”

“Well, I’m here, Charlie. Just me. No nightman. I’m like the dayman, you know, I’m a master of karate and shit,” Mac told him. “I’d kick the shit out of anybody who tried to fuck with you now.”

“He is still fucking with me,” Charlie’s voice cracked with that sentence. He swallowed thickly, trying to clear his throat before continuing. “It doesn’t feel like a dream, dude. It feels real. I feel like a stupid, weak kid again.”

“You’re not a kid anymore. It’s not real, Charlie. I know it feels real, but it’s not. It’s just your memory tripping you up.” Mac told him.

“Well fuck my memory. I can’t fucking remember important shit, but I can’t forget this shit,” Charlie spat out. 

“I know, dude. It’s not fair, it’s fucked up.”

Charlie nodded. He dropped his gaze to between them and then looked back into Mac’s eyes. He asked, “Can you hold me for a little?”

“Of course,” Mac said, sighing in relief. All he wanted to do was hold Charlie. He just wanted Charlie to know how safe he was. He wanted Charlie to feel that he was here to protect him. And for himself, he wanted to hold Charlie out of being grateful he was alive.

Mac put an arm around Charlie and pulled him close. Charlie closed his eyes and leaned into Mac’s chest. With one hand, he rubbed Charlie’s back. The other, he maneuvered awkwardly between them and played with Charlie’s hair.

Almost immediately, Charlie started crying again, the louder, uglier kinds of cries.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s just me,” Mac whispered, still holding Charlie close. “It’s me and I’ve got you, you’re safe, Charlie.”

“I fucking hate this, Mac,” Charlie said between gasps. “I just want to be okay.”

“You are okay,” Mac told him. “You’re just having a shitty day. Tomorrow will be a better day, I promise. And if not, I’ll be here then too.”

Charlie didn’t answer. He stayed buried in Mac’s chest, crying for a long time. Mac continued to rub Charlie’s back. He told Charlie he’d be okay. He told Charlie about the karate moves he’d use on anybody that tried to hurt Charlie again. He told Charlie how much he loved him. He told Charlie how he was safe now.

Eventually, Charlie stopped crying. More than anything, he’d tired himself out. Even the tenseness in his muscles had melted away. He was limp in Mac’s arms.

“Hey Charlie?” Mac asked quietly.

“Mmm?”

“How you feeling, bud?”

“Shitty,” Charlie mumbled.

“I know, I’m sorry.” Mac whispered. “Can I give you a kiss?”

Charlie nodded, face still pressed against Mac’s chest.

Mac kissed the top of Charlie’s head. He let his face rest in the mess of Charlie’s hair for a moment and breathed in. Charlie’s hair didn’t smell exactly good. It smelt a little dirty and a little greasy, but it smelt comforting. It was such a Charlie smell. It was a smell that would smell bad out of context, but with Charlie safe in his arms, it smelt like home.

Charlie pulled away just enough to look up at Mac. His face was even more red than before, his eyes were bloodshot and puffy. He looked wrecked, but he had a hint of a smile.

“Thanks,” Charlie whispered.

“Dude, don’t worry about it,” Mac answered with a smile. “The dayman’s not just a master of karate, he’s a master of friendship too, you know?”

Charlie smiled more sincerely now, showing his teeth. “Yeah, dude, you’re right. You’re a really good dayman.”

Charlie stayed curled up in Mac’s arms for as long as he could, but eventually Mac insisted they leave the Bad Room, saying that Charlie needed to eat. Charlie didn’t feel much like eating that night, he was too queasy from all of the crying and the panicking, but Mac somehow convinced him to leave. By the time they got downstairs, the rest of the gang had already dispersed. Mac was pissed off that apparently nobody cared  _ that  _ much about Charlie to stick around, but he didn’t say anything about it.

Mac and Charlie walked to the Wawa together. Charlie still insisted he wasn’t hungry, so Mac bought a hoagie that was too big and insisted Charlie eat half. They sat on the curb outside the store and ate their perspective halves, which made Charlie realize how actually hungry he was. They went back inside and ordered another one, a smaller size, for Charlie to eat on his own.

Mac walked Charlie home. They were both wiped out, but the conversation had become lighter. They were actually laughing by the time they got out front of Charlie’s building.

“You good, man?” Mac asked as they got to the front door.

“Yeah, dude,” Charlie answered with a shrug. “I think I’m good.”

“Okay cool,” Mac answered. “Listen, if you have a shitty night, I’m gonna leave my front door unlocked, just come wake me up, okay? Like the old days.”

“No, dude, I’ll be fine,” Charlie said, waving his hand dismissively, not showing how touched he was by the sentiment.

“I know you will be,” Mac answered. “But you can come over if you need to.”

“Thanks, Mac. For everything today.”

“It’s whatever. Go get some sleep, okay?” 

Charlie smiled sadly and nodded. He turned to walk into the building, but after one step, he turned back around and threw his arms over Mac’s neck, hugging him tightly.

“I love you,” Charlie said quietly.

“I love you too,” Mac answered, hugging Charlie back as tightly as he could. 


End file.
